It’s Fat Tuesday, which means that: 1) I wish I was in New Orleans right now (next year, dammit), and 2) Lent starts tomorrow. In view of which, a question for my blog readers: what, if anything, are you giving up (or pledging to do differently, etc.) during Lent?
Myself, I’ve never been much for the whole “giving stuff up during Lent” business, probably because there aren’t many things that I do regularly which I regret or feel guilty about (which may help explain why I’m not much of a Catholic… hehe), and also because I have no will power and am all about instant gratification. :) However, in view of my recent slow-but-steady transformation into a “skinny fat guy” (I was dreadfully thin when I started college, but I’ve gained half of my own body weight since then, which is a good thing except that the last 20 pounds or so have gone directly to my gut), I think perhaps I’ll give up Cheetos for Lent.
On the other hand: Cheetos are so yummy… how long is Lent again? ;)
For her part, Becky advocates making “Lenten resolutions” instead of necessarily “giving things up.” Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone by setting some concrete research goals for myself and declaring those to be Lenten resolutions. I’ll need to be in good shape with both of my papers by Easter Sunday, so that wouldn’t be a bad idea. And this way, if I fail, I’d be courting not just the wrath of Mayer or Kaveny (or Becky), but the wrath of God… hehe.
Anyway, enough about me… what are y’all doing for Lent, if anything?
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Categories: Holidays & Special Occasions
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February 20th, 2007 at 12:08:41 pm
I have never been one for giving up something for Lent…considering I don’t go to church or believe in organized religion…blah blah blah…to each his own. I did however go to a Catholic grade school, high school, and University.
But my personal goal is to get back into the shape I was back in college. Playing a division 1 sport will keep you in tip top shape. Now I sit on my ass all day in front of my computer at work and when I get home I am too tired to do anything. This needs to change.
Plus I am going to Culebra in less than a month and I need to see some results pronto.
I think I will start tomorrow though…I’m already too tired and it’s only 12:15.
February 20th, 2007 at 12:46:53 pm
I’m giving up Lent for Lent. (Was that postmodernist or what?)
I met somebody recently who managed to turn New Years Resolutions into something positive. Not “I’ll give up chocolate,” for example, but in her case, “I’ll dance more.” Why not do that for Lent? Rather than sacrifice Cheetohs, maybe you could find some kind of exercise that you’ll love doing. Surely it’s more spiritual to add something good to your life, right?
February 20th, 2007 at 12:51:55 pm
I’m giving up recreational internet use for Lent … meaning I won’t be reading this blog for 40 whole days.
February 20th, 2007 at 12:55:10 pm
See, now, that is the sort of resolution that I could never, ever, ever keep. :)
February 20th, 2007 at 12:55:38 pm
P.S. So I guess this means I have 40 days to post whatever nasty things I want about Rick Santorum… teehee. :)
February 20th, 2007 at 1:24:33 pm
Sean,
I think your missing the point a bit. First, the idea of giving up something for Lent has to do with the idea of fasting. You are taking something that might normally be a treat and saying “you know what, this is a period of reflection and to some degree sadness, so i’m going to sacrifice something too”. Its a small step to be like those in relgious orders (and not just Christian ones mind you). So in that sense i think its quite spiritual, purifying in a way. On top of that Catholics are encouraged to take whatever money they would be spending on that luxury and set it aside for charitable donation. As far as I am aware however its not just giving something up, you are also free to choose to do something good as you suggested during lent if you feel that would be a better choice, donate time to the poor, spend some dedicated extra time in prayer, community service, etc.
February 20th, 2007 at 2:04:17 pm
I’m giving up pizza, and “taking on” going to daily Mass at least once a week.
I annually give up pizza for Lent because it’s hands down my favorite food, and I tend to overindulge in it. Plus, it’s really hard to give it up at law school especially because it means missing out on all the free lunches.
I do allow myself pizza on my birthday though, which is during Lent practically every year. :)
February 20th, 2007 at 2:08:48 pm
Brendan,
Indeed. You can say whatever you’d like about Santorum with absolute impugnity!
February 20th, 2007 at 2:10:41 pm
My “Lenten resolution” is to cook GREAT food for the rest of 2007. And in that mood I’m making tonight for dinner:
–Soupe de Courge au Beurre Noisette et a la Creme Fraiche Muscadee (Butternut Squash Soup)
–Asperges en Vinaigrette et Oeufs Mimosa (Chilled Asparagus with Vinaigrette and Eggs Mimosa),
–Ossobuco (Veal Shank stew),
–Tarte au Citro (Lemon Tart)
You’all are invited over!
February 20th, 2007 at 3:35:32 pm
first, Nadine, that was just cruel. Cruel , Cruel, Cruel.
As far as Lent is concerned, I don’t give up anything anymore, unless you count dignity and self-respect which I gave up long ago so it probably won’t count with the big guy upstairs anyway. Ok, that’s a joke, but I’m really not giving anything up… Good Luck and Good Lent to all of you though.
*I would however ammend my previous stance on giving things up if I could somehow convince my teachers that I was giving up schoolwork for Lent…let’s work on that, yes?
February 20th, 2007 at 4:35:12 pm
Takeout. And if it’s something that can be taken out, the ban still applies should I wish to sit down and eat it.
February 20th, 2007 at 5:20:55 pm
What am I giving up for Lent?
Catholicism!
February 20th, 2007 at 5:26:57 pm
Um, isn’t that a little like me giving up being a Duke fan?
February 20th, 2007 at 5:39:40 pm
I think I shall give up God for Lent again this year.
February 20th, 2007 at 5:42:12 pm
David, I get the idea, but I’m not really a fan of sacrifice for sacrifice’s sake. I’m willing to give up plenty; really my only luxuries are DSL and one-at-a-time Netflix. But such things should be done for their worth in doing, not because we’ve decided that forty is a magical number - Noah’s days at sea, the Hebrews’ years wandering, Jesus’s days in the desert - and so the forty days before Ostara (sorry, Easter) are also magic.
When I was Christian, I used to give up chocolate. Nowadays, I really don’t eat that much chocolate anyway.
February 20th, 2007 at 5:50:00 pm
The best part about Lent is that Sundays don’t count! Woohoo!
Anyway, I’m giving up Starbucks for Lent and I’m giving up eating morning snack with my kids at school. I’ll miss the midmorning sugar, but I figure it’s probably not all that necessary for my survival. ;)
February 20th, 2007 at 6:59:21 pm
Sigh, Sean the idea of symbolism seems to be completely lost on you. It doesn’t matter that we do it for 40 or 39 or 41 days. The point is it is meant to help us better understanding things like suffering and going without. Yes absolutely you can and should do things because they are good, this is just one of many ways to help people do that. Its no different than a parent setting guidlines for their children, its meant to teach.
February 20th, 2007 at 8:08:22 pm
A few years ago, I put a twist on the things that I did for Lent. I’d give up something, but in addition to that, I’d try to learn something new. This year, I’m giving up fast food, McDonald’s, Jack-in-the-Box, etc. I’m going to try to learn Hawaiian quilting this year. I was thinking of giving up ESPN for Lent (I watch it like a madman), but I don’t know any sports fan who has that kind of willpower.
February 20th, 2007 at 8:17:21 pm
The point is it is meant to help us better understanding things like suffering and going without.
Now I know what I have to do in order to achieve Lent’s purpose, although it’s kind of backwards from the norm: I need to start reading all of David’s blogs and comments!
February 20th, 2007 at 8:29:19 pm
I was thinking of giving up ESPN for Lent
Maybe if Lent was in August, but in February and March? Give up the end of the college-basketball regular season, all of Championship Week, and the early rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament, not to mention SportsCenter’s coverage of the early rounds of the men’s tournament? I think not.
February 20th, 2007 at 8:30:37 pm
Well Andrew, glad to see you have missed the spirit of the Easter season so completely…
February 20th, 2007 at 10:33:00 pm
I’m of the opinion that it’s best to not tell others what you’re giving up for Lent. When you make it known that you are fasting (whether it be from pizza or whatever) you make it more human and less spiritual. The point is to sacrifice to bring yourself closer to God. If someone says “WOW you gave up pizza?!” we feel better somehow that our sacrifice has been recognized, but we have then diminished the true spiritual purpose.
Matthew 6:16 “And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”
I will say though, that it was common practice at my Catholic grade school to ask this question publicly.
Whatever.
February 21st, 2007 at 2:37:16 pm
Andrew - are you *sure* you don’t have some Jesuit in your ancestry ? Giving up tranquility and peace of mind for Lent is a bit extreme !
(grin)
February 21st, 2007 at 9:54:11 pm
Somehow I missed your response, Brendan. I think there’s a slight difference: You are not a Duke fan and you hate Duke; I am not a Catholic, but I don’t hate Catholicism.
February 21st, 2007 at 10:04:48 pm
Ah, but whereas the object of your faux-sacrifice was Catholicism, mine was not Duke, it was my Duke fandom. The question isn’t whether we hate something, it’s whether we have something to give up. In either case, we’d be giving up something we never had in the first place (your Catholicism, my Duke fandom).
February 24th, 2007 at 4:15:18 pm
Although I grew up with the practice of giving up something for Lent, I have mixed feelings about the effectiveness of doing this. It is true that going without something important can help to clear the mind, or the body, and can help a person empathize with those who have to go without vital things on a regular basis. Still, I think it’s more effective overall to *add* a practice of some sort to one’s Lent, like being more patient, being a better listener, giving more money to an organization that will put it to good use. This seems to me to be a way of improving oneself and the world at the some time. Giving up chocolate just makes you cranky… :)